What I’ve Learned From Leading HR Professionals (Without Being One)

When I tell people I’m the president of an HR consulting association, the first question is usually, “So, what’s your HR background?” The answer is…I don’t have one.

I didn’t start as an HR consultant or practitioner. I started as a receptionist — answering phones, greeting members, and figuring out the inner workings of our Association from the ground up. Over the years, I worked my way through administrative and membership roles before stepping into the president’s seat. My career path has been anything but traditional for this role — and that’s exactly why it’s been so valuable.

Working alongside HR professionals for decades has been like getting a master class in people, business, and resilience. I’ve learned more about what drives an organization’s success (and survival) than I ever could have imagined — and I’ve also seen sides of HR that employers often don’t recognize or value.

What a Membership Role Taught Me About Leadership

Coming up through the membership side of the Association taught me one lesson that still shapes every decision I make: every policy, every budget line, and every strategic move affects a real person with a face, a name, and a story.

That people-first perspective keeps me grounded. It reminds me that behind every spreadsheet, there’s a workplace full of human beings whose experience shapes the success of the organization.

Lessons I’ve Learned from HR Professionals

1. The Power of a Well-Timed Pause: HR professionals are masters of listening. I’ve seen them diffuse tense situations simply by letting someone feel heard before responding. As a leader, I’ve learned that sometimes the best next move isn’t a brilliant answer — it’s a thoughtful pause.
2. Balancing Head and Heart: The best HR pros make decisions that follow policy and protect the business — but they also understand the human side of every choice. They prove that empathy and accountability aren’t opposites; they’re partners.
3. The Ripple Effect of Small Actions: A single act — recognizing an employee’s effort, checking in during a tough week, or resolving a concern quickly — can change the entire tone of a workplace. HR understands this, and they use those micro-moments to build trust, culture, and retention.
4. They Protect the Business in Ways You Don’t Always See: The primary responsibility of HR is to protect and strengthen the organization by ensuring it has the right people, in the right roles, working in a safe, compliant, and productive environment. That means preventing costly mistakes before they happen — even if that work goes unnoticed.
   One of my favorite examples: A manufacturing plant’s general manager was ready to terminate an underperforming employee. Our HR consultant asked detailed questions, listened carefully, and recommended coaching and skills training instead. Within months, that employee became one of their top performers. The company avoided recruitment costs, improved productivity, and discovered a hidden asset they didn’t know they had.
5. The Emotional Labor Is Real: HR isn’t just paperwork and policies. They’re the ones delivering bad news, mediating conflicts, and supporting employees through personal and professional crises. They carry the weight of other people’s stress, disappointment, and grief — all while staying professional and solution-focused. That’s work you can’t easily measure, but it’s essential to a healthy workplace.

Leading Without Being the Expert

I’ll admit, leading people who know more about their field than I do can be intimidating. But I’ve learned that not being the subject-matter expert can be a strength. It pushes me to ask better questions, listen more closely, and trust the expertise around me. My job isn’t to have all the HR answers — it’s to create the environment where the right answers can emerge.

Why Diverse Leadership Paths Matter

Organizations benefit when leadership comes from different backgrounds. It brings fresh perspectives, challenges assumptions, and forces everyone to communicate in a way that reaches beyond their own specialty. My non-HR path allows me to see HR’s value from the outside in — and that’s exactly the perspective many employers need to hear.

And here’s something worth saying: being “the person in charge of HR” at an organization doesn’t necessarily mean you came up through the HR profession. It often means you care enough about the business to want it to succeed — and you care enough about the people to want them to succeed. Titles don’t make someone an HR leader; commitment to both the business and its people does.

A Final Word

I may not be an HR consultant, but I’m proud to serve them. They’ve taught me how strategy meets empathy, how tough conversations can build stronger teams, and how protecting people is just as important as protecting profits.

HR leaders — if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll share it with your executive team. Employers — if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll see the HR professionals in your organization not just as a “cost center” but as an investment in your organization’s resilience and success.

Because when HR thrives, the whole organization thrives.